Stepladder



F. B. HULL STEPLADDER Nov. 24, 1942.

Filed July 11, 1940 FIG. 7 6 ww mam/0K a. HULL V! R E mmm m m min I 5 Eww Patented Nov. 24, 1942 U NITED STATES PATENT QFFIQE STEPLADDERFrederick E. Hull, Dayton. OhiQ- Application July 11, 1940, Serial No.346,455

8 C aims.

My invention relates toimprovements in step ladders and particularly tothe folding type of step ladder, and is more specifically an improvementover my invention illustrated and described in my co-pending applicationfor Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 277,860, filed June7, 1939.

I do not wish to limit my invention to the folding step ladder as it issusceptible of embodiment in connection with non-folding step ladders.Nor do I wish to limit myinvention to any particular height of ladder,notwithstanding the drawings illustrating'my invention show a five footstep ladder. 1

When climbing the ordinary step ladder, as one nears the top of theladder, it is necessary to bend over and hold on to the top step tomaintain one s balance before continuingon to the extreme top step oreven to the next to the top step of the ladder.

Even after having steadied oneself by such bending over and holding tothe top step, one often gets dizzy as he or she straightens up to anerect position to perform Whatever task is before them.

Very often persons have fallen from step ladders due to theirunsteadiness when nearing or nor do they have a feeling of safety whennearing or reaching the top step of the ladder, as there is nothingabove the top step to provide any scans of safety, or by which theymight steady themselves.

To eliminate the above mentioned hazards and disadvantages appertainingto the use of the ordinary step ladder when climbing to the top step ornear the top step, I have invented an improved step ladder having anovel and very useful safety means, simple, and compact in itsconstruction, yet very effective in its function.

Such an improved safety step ladder is illustrated and described in myhereinbefore mentioned application for Letters- Patent of "the UnitedStates, Serial No. 277,860, filed June '7; 1939.

Therefore it is an object; of my presentinvensafety device, whereby oneclimbing the ladder may steady oneself, thus eliminating the dangerfactors of fear, lack of confidence inhigh places, dizziness, etc.

It is another object of my present invention to produce a safety laddersimpler in construction, and easier to manufacture.

Another object ofmy invention is to produce an improved step ladderprovided with safety means adjustable from an ineffective position intoan effective position, and having the top step of the ladder constructedto positively align the safety means while the latter is inits effectiveposition, to prevent any shaking motion of the safety means where itpasses through the top step-of the ladder:

Another object of my invention is the production of a safety ladderwherein the safety means is also positively aligned with the ladder legswhen the safety means is in its inefiective position, thuspreventingsaid means from wabbling around when the ladder is packed forstorage or shipment.

A further-object of my invention the produe-- tion of an improved safetyladde -r which eliminates the locating pins of my former safetyladdenshown in my above mentioned application for Letters Patent of'theUnited States.

A more specific object ofmy invention is to provide the top step, of mysafety ladder.- with a peculiarly shaped opening-to guide and hold thesafety means, when the latter "isin its effective the topstep of mysafety ladder with an open;

inghaving a plurality of angled sides to cooperate with, a plain safetybar or rod to retain the samein the proper'posi'tion relativeto the,bottom support for the bar or red whe th sam is.

ne of its. adju tab po t ns, and to r tain s id rod in the proper positon w en sa ro i n another of its adjustable positions.

A r ob ect of my inve tion to. provide he t p st p' f" my safe y adde wth. an peni ot such a a e. as. o. ooop ratewitha sa ety rod; having aplurality of novel sections thereof to retain the safety rod in itsseveral positions of adjustment.

tion toproduce an improved stepladder witha Withthese and incidentalobjects in view my Fig. 4 shows a side view of my improved step.

ladder in its open position, the safety means be ing in its efi'ectiveposition. -a

Fig. 5 shows a side view of the latter closed for storage, with thesafety means confined there-' in in its ineffective position. r

the top step of the ladder showing the construction of the novel openingfor guiding the safety means.

Fig. 7 is a section on line of. Fig. 6, and also shows the safety means,in dot-and-dash lines, in its eifective position. I

Fig. 8 is also a section on line 1 of Fig. 6 and shows the safety meansguided in the special opening when the safety means is inits ineffectiveposition.

Fig. 9 shows a front view of top step of the ladder with the safetymeans ineffective position and also shows the locking slide.

in looking position.

Fig. 10 shows aportion of one of the other of my safety means shown inthe position it oc-- cupies when the ladder is closed, the top step ofthe ladder being shown in section to illustrate the modified form of thespecial opening which cooperates with the safety means. I

.Fig. 12 is a top view .of a portion of the top step of the laddershowing the modified form of the special opening therein.

Fig. 13 is a section on line |3-|3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a top view of my modified form of safety means disassembledfrom the ladder.

Fig. 15 is a left side View of the same.

Fig. 16 is a rear view of the same.

Fig. 17 is top view of a second modification of a safety means for myimproved ladder;

Fig. 18 is a side view of, the same.

Detailed description the rear legs 34 at 39. inthe usual manner, andvhave a handle 40, min some types of ladders are shaped to form a handleat the central part thereof where they are pivoted, for manipulationwhen opening and closing the ladder. ..The usual shelf 4| is pivoted at42 to the rear legs 34.

As stated above my invention includes 'astep ladder with a safety meansfor persons .cli n'bing' 7 a portion of the the ladder and is animprovement over my invention disclosed in my co-pending application forLetters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 277,860, filed June 7,1939.

My present invention is simpler in construction, whereby the safetymeans is more easily adjusted from its ineffective position to itseffective position, and vice-versa. My novel construction alsopositively aligns and retains the safety means in its proper angularposition relative to the spreading means support when said safety meansis in its effective position. My novel construction also aligns andretains the safety means in its proper position relative to the ladderlegs when said safety means is in its ineffective position. My improvedsafety ladder also eliminates the use of the locating and lock- .;.i ingpins of my above mentioned co-pending ap- Fig. 6 is an enlarged planview of a portion of Q plication, thus making for a cheaper constructionand more effective in the maintenance of the safety means in itspositions of adjustment, and what is very important, maintaining thesame factors of safety even with the cheaper construction.

In my present invention the top step 3| of a the ladder has an aperture50 Figs. 6, '7 and 8 adapted to receive a safety rod 5|, Figs. 1 to 5, 7and 8. This rod is preferably made of a good strong hard Wood which istough but not brittle. ;However I do not wish to limit myself to aWooden rod as rods of other materials may be used with the sameeffectiveness, so long as they are not too heavy as to become cumbersomefor handling. Lightness in materials, with a sufficient factor of safetyis all important for ease of handling especially when the ladder is usedfor household purposes where women use them a great deal for cleaningpurposes about the house.

. The rod 5| has a slot 52 in its lower end to facilitate engagement ofthis end of the rod with the handle 40 ofthe spreading bars 31. In casethe spreading bars 31 are of a different type at the center junction,that is where they are joined by the handle 40, or if the handle 40 isshaped differently, then the slot 52 is to be cut to fit whatever typeof spreading bars and handle are used in the ladder.

Near the top, the rod has a hole 53 into which are driven from oppositesides a pair of heavy pins, bent up at their outer ends to function ashooks upon which may be hung cleaning cloths or other implements beingused by the person onthe ladder.

These pins 54 rest on the top step 3| and act as supporting orsuspending means for the rod 5| when the latter is in its ineffectiveposition, confined between the legs 30 and 34 as shown in Fig. 5, andalso in Fig. 8.

The relation between the top step 3| and the front legs 30 never changesand the aperture (Figs. 6 to 8), is especially constructed to retain therod. 5| in its proper positions of adjustment at all times and comprisesbores made on two separate and distinct angles. These intersecting boresare of a size to provide a nice sliding fit for the rod 5| in either ofits positions and also while it is being moved from one position toanother.

One bore 62 is substantially parallel to I the legs 30, and, as shown inFig. 7, that portion of the wall 60 of the bore 60-62, at line where thesection is taken extends from the top of the step 3| to a point 6|substantially midway {through the step 3|. That portion of the wallot-rtherrod: ona line; passing therefrom; through-:1

the;centenofzfthezihandle.40 or center. pivot oftheasprea'ding; bars 5:3.1. This bore [Me-65w is." the samezpdiameten as the first; mentioned;bore. Bits-62E and: the. portion; designated; 64 thereof extends: from;point; B l lto the bottom) ofv the "step;

3 I, and the portion .designated 65; extends. from. theztopcofthe-:st'epsil ;to1.the;p.oint;63t

- InzEl'gJ/x the'ysafetyrod; 51 is shown .in its .e'fiec: tiye;position; whereby; it is. in; contact with; the bores; Ma -65a a:center. line 66: of which passes through. the-.:center. air. the handleAll (Figs/1,

The-rodjl in this-position (Fig; '7); is;- guidedaand; retained by thisvangled'bore 64,-65.

and: 7).;

soethattthere; is: no. motion; of 1 the rod atithe; point}; where. it.passes through the L top. step 3 I; ais the". efiectivespositionxof therod: 5 I and. the :slot- 5122:.thereof is engaged by-the :handle: 40

atathisitimes. Thereforeethe rod is periectly safeandsarpersomcan:climb;to thetoplof the ladder. grasping. the" rod and feel safe at". all.times as: he: or. shevnears. or reaches. the. top of: the:

ladderzi a Whenztheladder-is closed-then thezrodgis in. theaposition:showniinzFigs. .5. and 8 wherein the;

b laeidfl' onian. angleithesame .asgthe sboresfih-fiidescribed-in;mypreferredaformzt lsafety; od: 8?! having a-slot.82.-.atthe lower endthereof and; a notch 83;likethe-previouslydescribed notch lilaand also;having a-pair .of pins. Mali-l e the pins El-is usedinthisformu 1 This safetyrrod".- 8 lrhas an arcuate notchv 85%the; radius I of which' is one half the diameter of the rodjlsThiSAIIOtChBFIF-iS'Q also tapered. as showniin. Figs. lland 15 so thatit fits; the-bores 8.0,whenether0dz8his in zitsjlower or inefiective-aposition. The rod 8| has another arcuate notchi- 838- the ;radius.- ofwhich is; one-half the. diameter of.-;the -rod $8.l.- This notchfifi isalso tapered as: showmin Figs.. .11.-an- 1 15. sothat it his ther bore8.0a whentth rod 8-1 is in :its lower or ineffectiveppsition'andthepins-8 k are resting; on thevtop; step 3L. v v

In this. modified form the notches 85sand, 86-;

p of themed-81function to permit the rod-tofswing folfl'vvard1y;atthe;bottom. when the ladder is;

iold edtin (the; same-manner as ethe bores Elle-62 andb lrfii cause therod :51 :toswingas theilad-e rod; contacts the. other bore..6l!.-B2of..the5aper=- I tune-156;: Accenteriline 61 of this bore is. substanetia'lly. parallel; tozthe front; legs 3.0;sozthat the.

rod-z will hang correctly betweenxthefiront an'di the. angular: position5:- of the; ladder while it is being; closedi; If? left standing untilthe. rod-is: wayi-rdownsnwhmh .is, the preferable way, to do,thenathec'rodiwill; follow? the. bore lid-65. un-.-

tilj'the ladderehas:startedtmfuld, 'atwhich time the.:rod-:wi11;begin.t0swing andlwill continue to" swingruntil the; ladder, is :completely;fo1ded.;

' "Il'IBZIOdEM haS: a notch 10' cut in its side onvan. angle-'gwhich isatizrightangles to the bore til-65 whereby when the rodsis in itseffective position the notch-10.;iszparalle1 tothe top step. 3-1; This,notch 1th is so located irelative 1130. the top: off the rod-.7 as;tozbe: opposite a c slide or detent Tl (Figs: 61, 'T and Q when-the rodis in its upper position: Thedetent H has aslotxlZ: by means'otwhich itis--s1idabl-ymounted on theeunder side of the to-p step 34 and hasa-no'sevl3' adapted tobe 'movediinto the notch lllby'manual operationthroughan ear M bentdownwardly therefrom; screws 15 may be used toretain the detent H in'po's'itionr Modified form Figs. 11 to 16illustrate a modified form of my objects. primarily. stated, it..is}-tobe. understood.

invention wherein th top step 3| has only one 75 3| whensthe-fladderiis:open -for use.

.der; is; folded. The-mod 8| now: contacts,v the;

clearance-1or guideecuts.68 (Fig; 10) wh-ichslots;

' aregcut ,onan angleparallel to .thelegs 30, and

thus iretain-itherod: .8 tin its ineffective position-.

Thee-detent? cooperates, with the slot 83rin-.'

the: same manner as it .cooperatestwith .the SlQti it: Thesslota83is-also cut on the same angleas; theeslot Ti} so;as ;to 3138parallel-with the, top step:

H Second-modification I f Eigssll'l and '18 show; a,..second.modificationpof.

' thesafetyrod. which} rod is numbered "90. This.

rod. 90. has a; slot ,in the @b'ottomlikei the s1oti52 andsasnotchlikethenotch' I0; neither of which; are shown .ThisrodJQiLalsohas a pairoffpinsv like. thelpinslfi l, which... are not 5 shown.

This. rod. 98.. has. an. annular groove 9 I hear the.

tolp,'which maybe used. withaladder having a. top, step ..3.! I-wit'h asingle bore,..for examplel v} the b'oressdjto permit the rod .90 .toswingsfreely.

forward atjthe bottomgas the ladder is'jdldedi] While. the [forms ofdeviceslherein shownand' describedfare admirably adapted to fulfillithe'that my. inventionis. notf-limitedIto-the forms. shown, as.-,otherl,forms may belused; all coming.

within the scope ofthetclaimswhich. follow. I "j What [Claim is 1 .In adevice .of-the ,class described, the come i bination of a, step ladder;means extending abbvef the top of'th'e ladder andadaptedto be. moveddownward into..a..position between. the front and rear ,legsof theladder; and meansincluding. dif; ferentlyjslopedswalls .ofintersectingbores in the top step ofltheiladder, theslopedlwall fof 'oneof theintersecting; bores acting. to ,retain said first mentioned. means in.a. certainangularposition wh'emabbvethe top of the ladder and thesloped wall of-gthe other oisaid intersecting bores permittingsaidjfirstmentioned means to assume an,-

otherangular position when down between the ladder, legs lwhen.saidlegs. are closed."

2.: Infaldeviceof the class.described, the com bination, of .a folding.step ladder; a 'safe'tyldvice extending above the top. step of theladder and adapted to be .moved, down between. the; ladder legs;,meansincludingihe wall of 'a bore through the top step of the ladder toretain saiddevide in a certain angular position when above the ladder;and means including the wall of a second bore through the top step ofthe ladder and made ata different angle than said first mentioned-boreand intersecting the first mentioned bore to permit said device to swingfrom said certain angular position into another angular position whensaid device is down between the ladder legs.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a step ladder,the top step of which has an aperture constructed by a plurality ofintersecting bores made at different angles; and a safety membersupported by the ladder and controlled as to position by the walls ofsaid intersecting bores.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a step ladder;a spreading means pivoted to the front and rear legs and also pivotednear the center of said means; the top step" of the ladder having anaperture with a plurality of differently sloped portions formed by twointersecting bores made at different angles off the vertical; and asafety device associated with the ladder and having an effective and anineffective positions and cooperating with those portions of theaperture formed by one of said two intersecting bores to retain saiddevice in a definite positionrelative to the center pivot of thespreading means when the latter is open and when said device is in itseffective position, and cooperating with those portions of said apertureformed by the other of said two intersecting bores to retain said devicein another position relative to the ladder legs when the device is inits ineffective position when the spreading means is closed.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a step ladder,th top step of. which has a bore made by'cutting on two differentangles, the bore being slightly shorter in distance from front to rearedges at the top side of the step than at the bottom side of the step,each of said distances being greater than the Width of said bore at itssides, one of the front surfaces of the bore extending from the bottomof the step to a point substantially %of the distance through thethickness of the step at one angle, the other front surface of said boreextending from said point to the top of the step at a lesser angle fromthe vertical, one of the rear surfaces of the bore extending from thetop of the step to a point substantially midway through the step at saidone angle, and the other rear surface extending from the last mentionedpoint to the bottom of the step at said lesser angle; and a safetymember having a plurality of positions of adjustment and cooperatingwith said surfacesof the bore to be controlled as to angular positio'nthereby.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a step ladderjspreading means therefor; a safety member. having an effective positionand an ineffective position; the top step of the ladder having anaperture the wall of which has certain portions inclined at differentangles, the lower rear half of said wall extending'upwardly at one anglefrom the bottom edge of the top step to a point half way through saidtop step, and the upper front half of saidwall extending downwardly atthe same angle from the top edge of the top step to a point one-eighthof the'thickness of said top step, said lower rear half and said upperfront half being a guide for said member when it is in its effectiveposition to retain the member in a definite position relative to thespreading means, the remaining portion of said aperture wall includingthe upper rear half of said wall extending downwardly at a differentangle from the top edge of the top step to a point half way through saidtop step and the lower front half of said wall extending upwardly atsaid different angle from the bottom edge of the top step upwardly to apoint seven eighths of the thickness of said top step, said upper rearhalf and said lower front half of said wall being a guide for saidmember when it is in its ineffective position to retain said member in adefinite position relative to the ladder legs.

'7. In a device of the class described, thecombination of a step ladder;spreading means therefor; a safety member having an effective positionand an ineffective position; the top step of the ladder having anaperture the wall of which has certain portions inclined at differentangles, the lower rear half of said wall extending upwardly at one anglefrom the bottom edge of the top step to a point halfway through saidstep, and the upper front half of said'wall extending down-' wardly atthe same angle from the top edge of the top step to a-point one eighthof the thickness of said top step, said lower rear half and said upperfront half of said wall being a guide for said member when it is in itsefiective'position to retain the member in a definite position relativeto the spreading means, the remaining portion of said aperture wallincluding the upper rear half of said wall extending downwardly at adifferent angle from the top edge of the top step to a point half waythrough said step and the lower front half. of said wall extendingupwardly at said different angle from the bottom edgeof the top step toa point seven eighths of the thickness of said top step, said upper rearhalf and said lower front half of said wall being a guide for the memberwhen it is in its ineffective position, all other steps of the ladderbelow the top step being formed to cooperate with said member when it isin its ineffective position.

8. Ina device of the class described, the combination of a step ladder,the top step of which has an aperture-the wall of which is provided witha plurality of differently angled portions one portion includes thelower rear half of the aperture and extends upwardly at a certain angleoff the vertical half way through the top step, a second portionincludes the front upper half of the aperture and extends downwardlyparallel to said one portion one eighth of the distance through said topstep, a third portion includes the rear upper half of the aperture andextends downwardly at a greater angle off the vertical half way throughthe top step, a fourth portion includes the front lower half of theaperture and extends upwardly parallel to said third portion seveneighths of the distance through said top step; an adjustable'safetymeans supported by the ladder and cooperating with said one portionand'sai'd'second portion of the aperture when in one' position ofadjustment and with said third portion and said fourth portion of saidaperture when in'another position of adjustment; and a manually operabledetent cooperating with shoulders in'said safety means, said shouldersbeing arranged at right angles to said one position.

FREDERICK HULL.

